June 11, 1805
57.80% Complete
Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

June 11, 1805

 

This morning I felt much better, but somewhat w[e]akened by my disorder.    at 8 A. M. I swung my pack, and set forward with my little party.    proceeded to the point where Rose [NB: Tansey] River a branch Maria's River approaches the Missouri so nearly. [1]    from this hight we discovered a herd of Elk on the Missouri just above us to which we desended and soon killed four of them.    we butchered them and hung up the meat and skins in view of the river in order that the party might get them. I determined to take dinner here, but before the meal was prepared I was taken with such violent pain in the intestens that I was unable to partake of the feast of marrowbones.    my pain still increased and towards evening was attended with a high fever; finding myself unable to march, I determined to prepare a camp of some willow boughs and remain all night.    having brought no medecine with me I resolved to try an experiment with some simples; and the Choke cherry which grew abundanly in the bottom first struck my attention; I directed a parsel of the small twigs to be geathered striped of their leaves, cut into pieces of about 2 Inches in length and boiled in water untill a strong black decoction of an astringent bitter tast was produced; [2] at sunset I took a point [pint] of this decoction and abut an hour after repeated the dze    by 10 in the evening I was entirely releived from pain and in fact every symptom of the disorder forsook me; my fever abated, a gentle perspiration was produced and I had a comfortable and refreshing nights rest. Goodrich who is remarkably fond of fishing caught several douzen fish of two different species—    one about 9 inches long of white colour round and in form and fins resembles the white chub common to the Potomac; [3] this fish has a smaller head than the Chubb and the mouth is beset both above and below with a rim of fine sharp teeth; the eye moderately large, the puple dark and the iris which is narrow is of a yellowish brown colour, they bite at meat or grasshoppers.    this is a soft fish, not very good, tho' the flesh is of a fine white colour.    the other species is precisely the form and about the size of the well known fish called the Hickory Shad or old wife, [4] with the exception of the teeth, a rim of which garnish the outer edge of both the upper and lower jaw; the tonge and pallet are also beset with long sharp teeth bending inwards, the eye of this fish is very large, and the iris of a silvery colour and wide.    of the 1st species we had caught some few before our arrival at the entrance of Maria's river, but of the last we had seen none untill we reached that place and took them in Missouri above it's junction with that river.    the latter kind are much the best, and do not inhabit muddy water; the white cat continue as high as the entrance of Maria's R, but those we have caught above Mandans never excede 6 Ibs. I beleive that there are but few in this part of the Missouri.    saw an abundance of game today even in our short march of 9 miles.—

 

a fair morning    wind from the S W. hard    we burry 1 keg in the Cash & 2 Canisters of Powder in 〈3 places〉 2 seperate places all with Lead; & in the Cash 2 axes, auger, Plains, 1 Keg flour, 2 Kegs Pork, 2 Kegs Parchd meal 1 Keg salt, files Chisel, 2 Musquits, Some tin cups, howel, 3 bear Skins, Beaver Skins, Horns, & parts of the mens robes & clothes.—    Beaver Traps and blacksmith's tools. [5] Capt. Lewis Set out at 8 oClock    we delayed to repare Some guns out of order & complete our deposit, which took us the day    the evening fair and fine wind from the N. W.    after night it became cold & the wind blew hard, the Indian woman verry Sick, I blead her which appeared to be of great Service to her    both rivers riseing fast

 

Tuesday 11th June 1805.    a clear pleasant morning.    about 8 oClock Capt. Lewis, George Drewyer G. Gibson Jos. Fields & Silas Goodrich Set out for the Snowey Soth Mountains, we burryed on the high land 1 keg of powder 1 bar led, 1 keg flour, 1 keg pork 2 kegs parchd meal the bellowes & tools, augur plains, Saws axes, tin cups dutch ovens, bear Skins packs of beaver Skins buffalow Robes, & a nomber of other articles, all of weight, Such as Rams horns &.C. The blacksmiths compleated repaering the arms &.C. we Compleated burrying the articles &C    got in readiness to assend the South fork. the wind from the S. West hard. the evening fair & fine wind from the N. W. after night became cold. high wind    we have caught a considerable quantity of Small fish Since we lay at the forks. one kind of flat Scalled fish [6] that we never Saw the kind before.

 

Tuesday 11th.    A fine day. Captain Lewis and four men [7] set out this morning to go to the mountains, which we had discovered towards the west. The rest of the party were engaged in burying the baggage and goods which had been left, and preparing to start the following morning.

 

Tuesday 11th June 1805.    a Clear pleasant morning.    about 8 oClock Capt. Lewis, George Drewyer, G. Gibson, Jo. Fields & Silas Goodrich Set out for the South Snowey mountain.    we put in the Carsh or hole 1 keg of powder 1 bar led, 1 keg flour 1 keg pork 2 kegs parchcd meal the bellowses & tools augur plains Saw &c Some tin cups a dutch oven, a corn hand mill, packs of beaver, bear Skins horns Buffalow Robes &c. &c.    the Blacksmiths compleated repairing the fire arms.    the carsh or hole on the high land dug deeper and compleated burrying the heavey articles &c.    we got in readiness to ascend the South fork.    we have caught more Small fish Since we lay here than we made use of—and one kind of Small flat Scale fish that we never Saw the kind before.—

Tuesday June 11th    We had a clear pleasant morning, about 8 o'Clock A. M. Captain Lewis & four Men of our party, set out for the Snowey Mountain, There was put into the holes or Carsh [erased, illegible] Yesterday 1 keg of powder, 1 keg barr lead, 1 keg flour, 1 Keg pork, 2 Kegs parched Corn meal, the Blacksmiths bellows & tools, Augers, planes, Saw &ca—.    some tin cups, a dutch Oven, a Corn hand Mill, packs of beaver, bear Skins, horns of different kinds, Buffalo robes &ca. &ca—.

The blacksmith, had compleated repairing the fire Arms, and every thing was got in readiness to ascend the South fork or the Mesouri River, which the officers intend doing tomorrow.—    We had caught more fish since we lay here encamped, than what we could possibly destroy, among which was a small flat fish having scales, which none of us had before ever seen.—

1. Lewis made camp for the day southeast of the Cracon du Nez , or Vimy Ridge, a few miles northeast of present Fort Benton. Atlas maps 42, 53, 61; MRC map 75. (back)
2. The choke cherry was here used as an astringent. Chuinard (OOMD), 287 n. 6. (back)
3. The first description of the sauger, Stizostedion canadense. The chub used for comparison is probably the striped bass, Morone saxatilis. Cutright (LCPN), 427; Lee et al., 745, 576. It was probably Biddle who drew a red vertical line through this passage about the fishes. (back)
4. The first descripton of the goldeye, Hiodon alosoides. The hickory shad mentioned for comparison is the gizzard shad, Dorosoma cepedianum. Cutright (LCPN), 425; Lee et al., 74, 69. (back)
5. Lewis may have added the words "and blacksmith's tools" and perhaps other words above in this entry. (back)
6. Probably the goldeye, described this day by Lewis. (back)